Alternative Fitness: Exercise for Firming and Toning the Female Body

If you were to ask most women in America if they are happy of satisfied with their physical appearance, you may not be surprised to find that most women are not. If the statistical information out there is right we are truly fighting a "Battle of the Bulge", and apparently we are losing. According to IDEA Fitness Manager in 2001 the number of overweight adults was at 97.1 million with the number of overweight women coming in at46.9 million, with 33-40% of all women actively dieting or trying to lose weight, and the number of deaths annually due to obesity was 280,000. 2002 IDEA Health & Fitness Inc. [1] In a related article Dying to be thin by Diane Lofshult in a 2005 Issue of the New York Times, 19% of overweight people said that they would risk death to be thin, 33% of obese people said they would risk their life to lose 10 lbs, and 31% of obese people said that the would trade 5% of their remaining years to be 10% thinner. 2005 Lufshult Diane, Dying to be thin[2]. Although the number of overweight men may be higher than the number of overweight women in America, it seems as though women are more self conscious about their weight and physical appearance. It also seems that women are more likely to try to lose the weight. With all of the health clubs, videos, books, diets, and talk about fitness and exercise women are normally the main target market. It is also difficult to believe the hype about these fitness fads, alternative fitness workouts, and specialty fitness equipment.

One fact is certain, if a person, whether obese or simply overweight, the plan of action that is most likely to lead to success is a plan of both modifying eating habits and incorporating exercise. The Supersizing Epidemic of America also went on to say in the Exercise and Dieting portion of the article that the percentage of people who meet the recommended physical activity guidelines is only 22% and that over 40% of people admit that they never engage in physical activity during their leisure time, and finally that the amount of money spent in America on weight loss products is $33 billion. The statistics were published in 2002 for the year 2001, but from other reports on both the television news and in magazines, those numbers are not improving. If anything the population of overweight and obese people in America seems to be increasing. I don't have a statistic for it but I know from both observation and personal experience, that when a person tries to shed weight and they fail to see results, or they fail to get the atypical results that are stated in many weight loss product claims, this often leads to both depression and a loss of motivation and enthusiasm for the weight loss program. This can lead to not only gaining back whatever weight was lost during the attempt but to the gaining of additional pounds and inches.

The intent of this article is not to promote any diet, or weight loss product, or piece of equipment. The purpose of this article is to lay out several of the most "do-able" and sustainable alternative fitness workouts. The reason for offering information on alternative fitness workouts is because while weight training, aerobics, walking, running, and dieting have been around for forever they are not leading to a cessation of the problem. The reason for this? Most traditional workout methods are fairly boring. While they work on the muscles and to burn calories, most fat burning activities are extremely repetitive and boring. When a fitness regimen does not stimulate the brain as well as affecting the brawn, motivation is difficult to create and maintain. Also once a person has traveled beyond being simply overweight to being obese they become reticent to go out and exercise in a group setting or public place like a gym or fitness studio. If you choose to go it alone, and not take formal weight training or classes, or a group of people who work out together thus keeping each other motivated, your will must be much stronger to remain motivated and focused upon the goals that you have set for yourself. There are a lot of fitness regimens out there, many of which can do harm in either the short or long term.

Most alternative fitness gurus create their routines and fitness regimens for people who are already in shape, who have grown bored with or tired of their regular fitness activity, routine, or group workout and are seeking out something new to engage their minds as well as their muscles. Most overweight or obese people will not be capable of maintaining the activities or activity levels required for the fitness regimen. When they discover that they are unable to participate in more than a few minutes of the routine their excitement and motivation will take a sharp decline. This article is aimed at every size, shape, and weight of woman. Some of the activities may not be activities that are ergonomically doable, but mental engagement is also the focus of these fitness regimens. If you are not able to participate in a workout activity for more than a few minutes, so be it! Make your motivational focus getting to that point. Getting to the point where you can complete a full fitness video workout is a huge milestone for people in good physical shape sometimes. I am also focusing on activities that are not expensive to take up, do not require multiple pieces of equipment or gadgetry, and fitness activities that can be done at home in private, and can be stopped and restarted whenever you want to. Many of these alternatives are a variation on a very popular theme and ideal, that dancing for fitness is a fun activity that works your whole body and which should be largely safe for any one in any level of health and fitness as long as you observe your limitations and don't push yourself beyond those limitations. These alternative fitness disciplines also tend to help shape the musculature and target the "trouble areas" of the female body. I believe that these activities will help anyone male or female, but for women the results will be more noticeable and more effective.

Yoga and stretching

Yoga is a great activity for anyone at any fitness level. Yoga works the body through it's entire range of motion. Yoga is also a low impact activity that is not going to cause repetitive motion or impact strain on your joints. Stretching and basic calisthenics are highly recommended for people who are largely overweight and find that they are unable to participate in more rigorous activities or sports. It may seem like a very basic activity, and one which does not quickly promote weight loss. However if you are overweight or obese a half hour to an hour of any physical activity which involves working the muscles and moving your limbs around will help promote safe weight loss and development of the muscles. For those who are beginning in better physical condition there are many more complex and physically challenging moves and routines to be learned.

Pilates

Pilates has become very popular in the last several years and there are numerous actresses, models, and regular people who swear by the Pilates workouts. According to the Wikipedia there are 11 million people who regularly practice the discipline and over 14,000 instructors in the United States alone. Pilates is a physical system developed in the early 20^th century by Joseph Pilates in Germany. It was first called Contrology because he believed his method uses the mind to control the muscles. The program focuses on the core postural muscles and teaches awareness of breath and alignment of the spine. The aim is to strengthen the deep torso or core muscles which lend to balance and spinal support. The activity is based on aerobics and Surya Namaskaras yoga postures. Pilates focuses upon control, controlled breathing, controlled movements, and mental control.

You will want to screen your Pilates instructor carefully because in recent years the term "Pilates" has entered the mainstream and has been ruled to be a "generic" term which anyone can use. "Following an unsuccessful intellectual property lawsuit, a US federal court ruled the term "Pilates" generic and free for unrestricted use. As a result anyone, trained or untrained can offer "Pilates" as a service to the public." [3] You want to be sure that you are embarking upon a true Pilates fitness system rather than some "similar" program which is not authentic. Pilates will strengthen your entire body and targets all parts of each muscle. There are few pieces of equipment associated with Pilates and none of them are required for basic Pilates exercises but each of the apparatus designed by Joseph Pilates are designed to augment your Pilates workouts and to help people to reach their fitness goals faster than they anticipated.

Kickboxing/Tai Bo/Martial Arts

Kickboxing may not seem like an effete sport but the training involved and the exercises, kicking, punching, and blocking does target the "trouble areas" that seem to plague women, and which they find difficult to tone and firm. Kickboxing is not a sport for the feint of heart or people who are not into fighting or physical confrontation. There are boxing clubs in many cities and towns throughout the United States, Canada, The United Kingdom, and Europe for training and working out. Women are entering into the realm of Kickboxing, Boxing, and Mixed Martial Arts fighting and many are finding that they not only enjoy the sport they love it.

For those who want the benefits of Kickboxing with none of the fighting there are workout regimens based upon KB training, for example the very popular and successful "Tai Bo" fitness routines offered by creator Billy Blank. Billy Blank teaches all of the striking, punching, kicking, and defensive moves required of tai chi, or kickboxing but he focuses on the body sculpting and aerobic aspects of his routines rather than the fighting aspects and applications. Again martial arts and Tai Bo will target those trouble areas for women. It will also strengthen and tone your muscles, as well as having the added benefit of teaching you to defend yourself from physical attack. Martial Arts will increase your positive self image, your confidence, balance, agility, and flexibility

Hip Hop Dance for fitness

There are a number of hip-hop/urban dance for fitness videos and classes out there. There are workouts that concentrate on the abdominal muscles, those for the thighs and glutes, and cardio for maximum fat burning. All of these routines work the entire body though they are targeted at helping to firm specific areas of the body. There are also videos and classes which focus on the entire body overall. Dancing is a great cardio workout, it's fun, you can take the moves that you learn straight to a club or a party. Hip-hop dancing is young and fresh and it borrows moves and postures from every discipline of dance. Hip-hop dance is also fresh and still evolving so it is a type of workout that you can add to, create your own dances and routines, and like most dancing for fitness activities there are both sharp percussive movements and fluid long movements which will work your muscles through their full range of motion. Dancing for fitness will both strengthen and tone the body. It is also great because you can work out at your own tempo and pace. Just make sure that you get the heart rate up for 20-30 minutes a day and I guarantee, no matter what shape you are in now, you will see results.

Belly Dancing for fitness

Another of the dancing for fitness fads that is sweeping the alternative fitness world. Belly dancing is fun, it's exotic, erotic, and will really put a woman in touch with her feminine "slinky" side. Belly dance for fitness is great for your whole body, with a special focus on strengthening and toning those core muscles. Though when you think of belly dancing you picture all of the undulating abdominal rolls, and hip movements and until you actually try it you don't realize what a workout your legs, glutes, arms, shoulders, and back get. Learning to add your arms into your dance will be difficult at first, you can even do "snake arms" and chest lifts and drops alone for five to ten minutes of your workout. You will find that belly dancing is a lot more involved than it looks when you are just watching and not just because of the rolls, lifts, and drops. All belly dancing moves are done with the knees slightly bent, regardless of the position of the legs, the knees will remain slightly bent throughout the workout. This alone works the thighs and glutes in wonderful ways. Belly dancing will target those feminine trouble spots and will firm and tone your body very quickly. The unlike most forms of dance for fitness though, belly dancing will improve the mobility and flexibility of your core and not that of your lower body. Because flexibility is not required and belly dancing is for the most part a low impact aerobic activity it is great for women of all ages and fitness levels.

Pole dancing for fitness

By far my favorite of the dancing for fitness disciplines. Pole dancing is a sport that will work every muscle in your body and will challenge your will, your mind, and your nerve. Not the safest of the alternative fitness sports, I tell people up front when they enter a pole dance for fitness beginners class with me this: "If you want to learn any of the moves that lift your feet off of the floor and put your weight fully upon the pole, or inverting your body, you will fall at some point. You will also get bumps and bruises, and the occasional sprain or muscle strain." That's all part of the learning process with this sport. Pole dance for fitness is much more physically challenging than the routines that you will see most pole dancers doing in gentlemen's clubs. The goals are completely different. When working in a club you are aiming to sweat as little as possible. When working a pole for fitness you work combination moves and spend more time off the floor fully supported by your strength and the pole. Pole dancing is not a low impact sport though it is definitely a great cardio aerobic workout. So what is so wonderful about this physically challenging sport where you can fall on your head? Pole dancing for fitness is an absolutely beautiful, graceful, and powerful sport in which you can improve your musculature overall both strengthening and toning the muscles. Pole dancing helps with balance, strength (both core and leg), confidence, feelings of feminine sensuality, it is fun, and it can be done in a gym, a studio, or even at home.

There are numerous other alternative fitness sports and activities that I could include in this article, and I encourage women everywhere to try one or more of these workouts to firm, tone, and shape your body exactly the way a female body should be shaped. These alternative workouts also aide in teaching balance, focus, range of motion, body posture and movement, and most of all a sense of ones own feline femininity. For engagement of the mind, the spirit, as well and the body I would recommend any one of these activities to anyone. They all require little or no equipment, with pole dancing being the most expensive sport equipment wise(a pole for home use can cost from $89 to $599), and most require no equipment or special outfitting of any kind. You can do any of these activities at a gym that offers classes, a special studio, or at home. There are teaching tools for every kind of learner, live instructors, videos, DVD's, books, and even instructional videos and classes online. There are instructional videos for each one of these activities available on sites like YouTube.com and expertvillage.com which also posts how to videos on YouTube. I have personally participated in every one of these sports and I enjoy them for the exercise, the challenges that each presents, the way that they firm my body, and they always make me feel great after a workout. Good luck with whatever fitness sport or activity that you choose to participate in and enjoy!

[1] 2002 IDEA Health & Fitness Inc., Fast Facts:Obesity & Overweight Statistics-The Supersizing Epidemic Of America, IDEA Fitness Manager, Volume 14, Number 3, reproduced on the website http://www.ideafit.com, retrieved from http://www.ideafit.com/fitness-library/fast-factsobesity-amp-overweight-statisticsmdashthe-supersizing-epidemic-of-america, retrieved on August 20,2009

[2] 2005 Lufshult, Diane, Dying to be thin, source January 4, 2005 issue of the New York Times, retrieved from http://www.ideafit.com/fitness-library/dying-be-thin

[3] 2009 Wikipedia, Pilates, published by Wikipedia.org, retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pilates, retrived on August 21,2009